A shoplifter who terrorised staff by brandishing a knife has been jailed for 17 months.
Employees at Aldi’s Galashiels store caught Jordan Renwick stealing from the King Street premises and were waiting for police to arrive when he produced a knife, demanding they open the door and allow him to leave.
The 20-year-old then fled over a nearby bridge, throwing the knife into the river.
Renwick, of Orchard Park, Kelso, appeared on indictment and admitted stealing food from the shop on June 12. He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by brandishing a knife at employees and demanding they open the door to allow him to escape.
Depute procurator fiscal Kate McGarvey told Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Friday that staff noticed Renwick acting supiciously and after he passed through the checkout, he was stopped and asked to return to the store.
Packs of jelly and some cheese were found in his pockets and trouser waistband, and a staff member decided to contact police.
Renwick produced a large kitchen knife and demanded that the door be opened. Staff were described as “scared and frightened” and let him go out.
“He walked backwards out of the door and then ran away towards Matalan, throwing the knife into water as he crossed the bridge,” continued Ms McGarvey.
Police arrested Renwick at an address in Croft Street, Galashiels.
His lawyer, Rory Bannerman, said his client had gone into the shop to buy food, “but realised he did not have enough money with him, so pilfered items.
“He knew the police were coming and there was a knife in the room, so he picked it up and brandished it to make good his escape.”
Sheriff Ian Anderson told Renwick: “It is very easy to understand the terror suffered by employees at the store, and that makes this a very serious offence. It was also committed while you were on bail.”
On a further complaint, Renwick was sentenced to an 11-week jail term – to run consecutively – after he admitted assaulting a man at Station Road, Kelso, on April 21 by repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body to his injury.
Ms McGarvey said the assault followed an altercation between the two men.
The victim sustained a cut to his elbow and bruising.
Mr Bannerman said the other man had approached his client “menacingly”.
Renwick was also sentenced to a two-month prison sentence – to run concurrently – after he pleaded guilty to stealing dog food at the Original Factory Shop, Bowmont Street, Kelso, on May 18.
The total jail term of 17 months and 11 weeks was backdated to June 13.